Director: Vinod Kapri

Cast: Myra Vishwakarma

Story

The story of Pihu is based on the life of a two year old girl (Pihu,) trapped alone in a house and what happens when there are no adults around. The entire film centers around this little girl and shows us how the 2 year old survives on her own for the entire day without being connected to the rest of the world. With montages of a birthday party (Pihu’s birthday,) a cake and people chatting, the opening scene quickly dissolves into a serious one.

Pihu wakes up in the morning next to her mother, who is dead. With no father around and no adult in the house, the film immediately shifts to a scary story. With Pihu playing the lead, one gets a glimpse of what to expect from the movie. Navigating through the house, one sees how everything is unkempt, how every ordinary gadget is now a safety hazard.Kapri takes you through the different parts of the house, showing the disarray and the severe state of dysfunction of not just the house, but the family as well.

Review

Right from the very first scene of the movie, one can see the movie is going to be fraught with tension and uncertainty. Everything in the house is a threat to this two year old girl and unfortunately, she has absolutely no access to the world outside. As a director, Kapri sets the scene right from the opening credits, with dialogues from the movie running over caricatures and childlike drawings.

A couple of years ago, Kapri’s first directorial, Trapped, showed the struggles of an adult trapped all by himself in a house for 24 hours. Pihu seems to follow a similar story line, without the drama and over the top action scenes. Using a two year old to bring to life a parent’s worst nightmare, Kapri brings to the fore everything parents do not want happening.

Although the movie is said to be based on a true incident, the film seems very similar to Kapri’s first directorial.  Drawing parallels from the  theme of Trapped. the underlying message talks about what happens when you are left alone for longer than you thought you should be left alone. While the attempt at making a film like this was commendable, Pihu would have worked better as a short film rather than a full fledged movie.

Kapri’s thriller has everything you could want from a perfect thriller. However, it lacks the special touch required to make it a truly brilliant movie. Myra Vishwakarma does a brilliant job as the two year old Pihu, with the camera work adding the right kind of effects. Watch the movie to find out what happens when a child is alone and helpless.

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While a lot of Bollywood films are considered children friendly, there are not a lot made specifically for children. On a day like today, that celebrates children and the inner child in you, it is but fair to take a look at some truly beautiful movies made about and for children.

1. Stanley Ka Dabba

Amole Gupte debuted as a director with this amazing children centered film and boy, did he make a splash! Bringing together a beautiful story of school and lunch boxes, Stanley Ka Dabba was exactly the kind of movie needed to be made for people to revisit their childhood in all its glory. However, despite all the happy memories, the film has a subtle message to it and one really has to pay attention to the movie to understand the underlying point.

2. Raju Chacha

An Anil Devgn directorial, Raju Chacha had Ajay Devgn and Kajol playing the lead roles. Narrating the story of three kids who are trapped by a villain trying to steal their property after the death of their father, this movie was a keeper for the ages. A perfect medley of nostalgia, drama, suspense and thrill, Raju Chacha was a treat for sore eyes.

3. King Uncle

Directed by Rakesh Roshan, this movie talks about what happens when you let your guard down. Revolving around the story of a strict and controlling man (played by Jackie Shroff,) King Uncle shows how all one needs is a child to let go off all the things holding you back. A coming of age story, this Rakesh Roshan movie still gives one major family goals even though you have watched it multiple times.

4. Mr. India

Directed by Shekhar Kapur, Mr. India is perhaps extremely relevant even now. With clearly thought out villains, ghosts and superheroes, Mr. India was the perfect combination of fun, laughter, drama, tragedy and sadness. While all the characters played their parts brilliantly, the film would not be the success it was had it not been for the beautiful story line. If you are feeling particularly nostalgic about your childhood, watch the movie today!

5. Chachi 420

Directed by Kamal Haasan, Chachi 420 was an adaptation of the Hollywood super hit, Mrs. Doubtfire. Based on the story of a father going above and beyond to make things right with his daughter, Chachi 420 was one of the most heartwarming films made about the relationship between a father and his daughter. You know what to watch to take you down memory lane today!

6. Koi Mil Gaya

Another Rakesh Roshan directorial, Koi Mil Gaya was all about how you can excel if you have a protective hand making sure you are okay. Loosely drawing inspiration from Hollywood movies like ET, Koi Mil Gaya showed the beauty of acceptance and how one grows through adversities. Definitely a must watch film on a day like today!

7. Taare Zameen Par

Another film about accepting children despite their shortcomings and pitfalls, Taare Zameen Par was about accepting your child with both the negatives and the positives. This movie was Aamir Khan’s debut as a director and not many can bring to life a story like this with just the right amount of emotions and intensity. With a wonderful message at the end, Taare Zameen Par needed to be made and told with a loud and clear message. As parents, you should do all you can in your power to help your child grow, even if the child has problems you do not understand.

Here’s wishing all of you a very happy Children’s Day and if you have other movies you would like us to watch today, comment and let us know!

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The seventies and the eighties of Bollywood were perhaps some of the most influential decades of Indian cinema. While the seventies were said to have propelled the Angry Young Man (Amitabh Bachchan) and Rishi Kapoor into the forefront, the eighties of Bollywood were quite a contrast. Perhaps what makes these two decades so great is that the films made here were neither too old to forget, nor too young to ignore. Here’s taking a look at some movies which made the ’70s and ’80s truly glorious.

1. Anand (1971)

A film described as one of the best performances by Rajesh Khanna, Anand was a Hrishikesh Mukherjee masterpiece. Playing the role of a man who knows how to have a laugh despite everything going wrong, Rajesh Khanna managed to keep the audience captivated with his antics. What made Anand such an endearing film was that through all the darkness, Rajesh Khanna’s character was filled with light, love and laughter. Even now, almost thirty five years after its release, this movie is still a masterpiece!

2. Zanjeer (1973)

While the beginning of the ’70s were described as the Golden Era of Rajesh Khanna’s career, 1973 was the point that saw the emergence of another major star, Amitabh Bachchan. Big B was picked as the lead for Zanjeer after actors like Dharmendra, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand turned down the role of a stern faced cop (Vijay.) The character which was such a hit, it became the foundation for the other movies. In fact, this character sat so well with the audience, it was one of the most sought after characters for most of the other movies released in that decade. Not only did Zanjeer see the birth of the Angry Young Man, it also saw a shift in the kind of lead roles one saw in movies. An iconic movie for sure, Zanjeer was perhaps one of the best movies from the ’70s.

3. Deewar (1975)

Although Zanjeer was said to have put the Angry Young Man on the map of brilliant movies, it was Yash Chopra’s Deewar that really established Big B’s presence in the world of Bollywood. Loosely based on Haji Mastan’s life, this film told the tale of two brothers (played by Big B and Shashi Kapoor) on the opposite sides of the world. With brilliant dialogues, a story of the ages and extremely heartwarming scenes, Deewar was perhaps one of the most iconic and memorable films of the ’70s. In fact, it can be labelled as one of the films which changed the cinematic landscape of Bollywood.

4. Sholay (1975)

1975 was a popular year. Not only did it see the emergence of another truly epic movie in the form of Sholay. Giving us some brilliant characters like Veeru, Basanti, Jai, Thakur and Gabbar Singh (also, one of the best dialogues in history: Kitne Aadmi Thhe?) Sholay was one of the best things that happened to Indian cinema. Criminals, a love story, cheeky one liners and epic fight scenes all came together in a seamless combination to form the King of all fight movies, Sholay! If you are reading this and still have not watched Sholay, then you are definitely missing out on an experience of a lifetime.

5. Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

While Amar Akbar Anthony wasn’t the first ever lost and found movie or the first ever blockbuster, it could easily have been any one of them. A star studded film, a brilliant story line and music that was beautifully resonating with the times, this Manmohan Desai directorial had all the trappings of an exceptional movie. Satisfying till even after the rolling of the credits, Amar Akbar Anthony was a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

While the 70s were all about large films, beautiful stories and memorable melodies, the 80s were about revisiting the golden days of Indian history and for creating larger than life musicals.

6. Karz (1980)

Criticised by fans and critics alike, Karz was said to be way ahead of its time when it released. Touted to be one of the best musicals of its time, this Subhash Ghai directorial would have been an instant hit had it been made during present times. A heartwarming story and a tale resonating with days gone by, Karz was perhaps one of the major trendsetters of Indian cinema in the 1980s.

7. Umrao Jaan (1981)  

A tribute to the courtesan filled era during the Mughal Raaj, Umrao Jaan was Muzaffar Ali’s tribute to a court dancer who had gifts like no one else at the time. With Rekha playing the role of this dancer, the film showed the circle of life and how even though you travel all over the world, you come back to where everything began. Bringing a wonderfully beautiful expression of pain, sorrow, music and the arts to the fore like never before, Umrao Jaan was made so well, it is relevant even in today’s times.

8. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)

While the ’70s saw the emergence of Amitabh Bachchan, the ’80s saw the revival of Bollywood gems like Naseeruddin Shah and Ravi Baswani. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro got together a brilliant ensemble cast, the creme of Bollywood. A brilliantly made satire that talked about everything wrong with India then and today, this film was a class apart in every possible. What makes this movie so great was that it was a happy accident, an unplanned super hit in every way imaginable. So great was its success that even after all these years, no director was able to remake the movie.

9. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)

Popularly known for being the movie that changed Aamir Khan’s characterization in Indian cinema, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was a beautiful story. One of the first attempts at an Indian version of Romeo and Juliet, this movie also brought to the fore the amazing chemistry between Juhi Chawla and Aamir Khan. Taking the step forward from the trend of heartbreaking romance, the success of this movie gave Bollywood a formula the industry milked for years to come.

10. Parinda (1989)

Vidhu Vinod Chopra just had to end the ’80s with a bang and looking at the massive success that was Ardh Satya, he just had to make Parinda. Taking a chance with a theme like this was not easy and when he did take the chance, he redefined the crime genre in Bollywood. With a burning climax and a story which was gripping to the very end, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Parinda was a film that paved the way for future history makers.

The ’70s and the ’80s showed the world that Bollywood was not just about dancing around trees and romancing under the bushes. The movies of these eras showed us the beauty of telling stories in a magical way, giving everyone memories like never before. If you think we missed out on any other movies from these glorious decades, comment and let us know!

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After what seems like a really long wait, the trailer of Abhishek Kapoor’s highly anticipated Kedarnath just dropped and by the looks of things, the film promises to be truly beautiful. With Sushant Singh Rajput as the male lead, this Abhishek Kapoor directorial introduces a brand new female lead in the form of Sara Ali Khan! Set against the rustic and hilly Uttarakhand, the trailer explores the massive destruction in Kedarnath, post the heavy floods of 2013.

Claiming to be an unusual love story, the just dropped trailer explores the unique story between a porter (Mansoor, played by Sushant Singh Rajput) and a rich tourist girl (Mukku, played by Sara Ali Khan.) Mansoor takes tourists on his back to the main temple of Uttarakhand (a 14 km trek.) During one of these journeys up the mountain, Mansoor and Mukku meet and consequently fall in love. However, just like every love story between two lovers from different backgrounds, this love story is also fraught with many difficulties. Watch the trailer here.

Here is the link for #KedarnathTrailer https://t.co/wBc4DtyTsV
I hope you like it. 🙏🏻
Om Namah Shivaya 🔱❤️#SaraAliKhan @RonnieScrewvala @Abhishekapoor @pragyadav_ @RSVPMovies @gitspictures @ZeeMusicCompany #Kedarnath

— Sushant Singh Rajput (@itsSSR) November 12, 2018

Just like the makers promised, there are other problems the two love birds have to face. Mukku, a Hindu, prays for a massive calamity to hit the hilly town. However, little does she know that what she wished for will really happen. Moments after Mukku prays at the shrine, the trailer shifts to a series of flash floods harming everything and everyone in its wake. What this longer than three minutes trailer doesn’t show is whether or not Mukku and Mansoor live to see the light at the end of the storm.

It is interesting to note here that this trailer is perhaps one of the first of its kind to not give the listeners even a slight glimpse into the songs of the movie. Earlier scheduled to hit the screens on the 30th of November, Kedarnath is going to hit the screens on the 7th of December, 2018.

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The highly anticipated trailer of 2.0 finally hit the internet today and just as expected, the movie is going to be extremely exciting. A collaboration like never before, the film shows a union between the South Indian megastar, Rajinikanth and the Bad Boy of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar.

The close to two minutes trailer is packed with high octane fight sequences and has drama playing as one of the chief elements. Every shot and every sequence has been shot with extreme levels of energy and creativity, with visuals that blow the viewers mind. Watch the trailer here.

Rajinikanth… Akshay Kumar… AR Rahman… Director Shankar… Names that evoke tremendous curiosity… Naturally, the expectations from #2Point0 are colossal… Here’s #2Point0Trailer: https://t.co/V1U3Es3tgT

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) November 3, 2018

The trailer shows what happens when technology takes over and humans lose control of the very things they created. The trailer shows people running for cover, when they realise cellphones all over the city are disappearing. The question of the hour is finally answered when Akshay Kumar’s character says, “Cellphone rakhnewala har vyakti hathyata hai.”

One of the most gripping things in this trailer is the intense fight scene between Akshay Kumar’s and Rajnikanth’s characters, a scene where both are seen fighting for the other’s territory. Amy Jackson’s character also makes a blink and miss appearance in the trailer, giving viewers the idea that there is more happening in the movie than what meets the eye.

This particular Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar starrer has been a product of 25 VFX studios worldwide, 1,000 VFX artists, 500 craftsmen and 3,000 technicians. With such a massive team involved in creating the end product, it stands to see what the final product will look like. With more than three years of effort gone into the making of the film, 2.0 is finally going to hit the screens on the 29th of November this year!

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